Fifty-three job seekers in Suriname’s western district of Nickerie have successfully completed a fully government-subsidized professional training program to qualify as Customer Experience Officers, marking a key milestone in the country’s workforce development initiative aimed at boosting local employment.
The five-day, practice-focused training was delivered by the Suriname Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre Foundation (SHTTC), and forms part of the national Leri Fu Feni Wroko initiative. This falls under the broader Training for Employment program, run by the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Labor of Suriname with financial and logistical backing from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The curriculum centered on building high-demand core professional competencies, including customer-centric thinking, interpersonal communication, service delivery excellence, and professional workplace etiquette—skills that translate across multiple growing sectors of Suriname’s economy.
At the recent certificate awarding ceremony, Deputy Minister Raj Jadnanansing emphasized that earning the professional certification is not the final outcome of the program, but rather the foundational starting point for participants’ new professional careers. All graduates will continue to receive personalized support and guidance as they pursue open roles in the local labor market. Jadnanansing noted that the government’s targeted investment in these skills training programs directly responds to the need to strengthen Suriname’s overall workforce, with a particular focus on expanding opportunities for young people in Nickerie.
He also highlighted the growing range of employment opportunities opening up in the district, particularly in the expanding tourism sector. Western Suriname is projected to see strong economic growth in coming years, driven in large part by ongoing development in the region’s burgeoning oil and gas sector, which will create ripple effects across hospitality, customer service, and supporting industries.
Representatives from all partner organizations, including the IDB, SHTTC, and the Nickerie district administration, echoed the deputy minister’s remarks, reinforcing the critical role of upskilling programs in reducing local unemployment and driving inclusive economic growth. They encouraged graduates to remain proactive in continuing their professional development and engaging with placement support services to secure sustainable employment.
Looking ahead, the Surinamese government has confirmed that additional rounds of this fully subsidized professional training will be organized in Nickerie in the future, aligned with local labor market demand and the needs of job seekers in the district.